Dodgers' Gordon steals his 50th base

LOS ANGELES – Chicago Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks threw over to first as soon as Dee Gordon reached base leading off Friday’s first inning at Dodger Stadium.

Before he could check on Gordon again, the Dodgers’ second baseman was gone, off successfully for second base. Four pitches later, Gordon took third, notching his 50th stolen base of the season.

It marked his first multi-steal game since May. Gordon’s prolific stolen-base pace to start the 2014 season has slowed of late, but one of his teammates expects it to tick back up shortly.

“You steal that many bases, you’re gonna have a period where you slow down, just because your legs are bound to get tired,” Dodgers left fielder Carl Crawford said. “But he’ll pick it back up. He’s still at a crazy pace right now. It’s normal to have a little drop-off.”

Crawford would know. He has stolen 50 or more bases in a season five times – a feat no other active major-leaguer can match. He said his key was aiming for 10 steals a month.

“Whenever they give you the free ones, you make sure you take them,” Crawford said. “You have to keep that mindset.”

Gordon’s attempt rate slowed as the season has gone on, but his success rate dropped more precipitously.

From the start of the season until June 21, Gordon was caught just six times in 45 tries, good for an 87 percent safe rate. But from June 22 until Thursday, Gordon was caught six times in 15 tries – only a 60 percent success rate.

He was caught stealing by the Braves on Wednesday and Thursday, marking the first time in his career he had been thrown out in back-to-back games.

“You can’t say he’s the absolute most valuable player, but without him, we’d be in a bind,” Mattingly said. “Because we really started off the season without a true leadoff guy, not knowing who’s going to play second and that position’s up in the air, and he has absolutely solidified both of those spots.

“Without him, we would be in a little bit of danger.”

GONZALEZ HURT

Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez left Friday’s game after two innings because of a bruised right knee.

The team did not announce when the injury occurred, but Gonzalez walked back to the Dodgers’ dugout gingerly after an awkward slide led him to be thrown out at home in the first inning.

Gonzalez, the team’s leader in games played, was running from first on the play. He beat the throw to home but missed the plate with his hand as he slid by Cubs catcher Welington Castillo.

He played the field in the top half of the second inning, but exited afterward in favor of Scott Van Slyke.

NOTES

Third baseman Juan Uribe got Friday off. Catcher A.J. Ellis started despite a swollen right knee he sustained from a foul tip in Thursday’s game. Dodgers director of medical services Stan Conte visited him in Friday’s sixth inning, but Ellis stayed in the game. ...The Cubs entered this weekend’s series on pace to lose 94 games this season, but Mattingly tried to claim they’d be a tough opponent for the Dodgers. “I know they got rid of some of their guys at the trading deadline, and a lot of times that signals a team that’s kind of throwing in the towel, but I look at this club as a young club that’s kind of on the move,” Mattingly said. …In July, the Dodgers partnered with Rally Bus to offer bus rides directly to Dodger Stadium from various Southern California locations. For the upcoming Freeway Series games at Dodger Stadium on Monday and Tuesday, there will be pickups in Anaheim and Long Beach, among other cities. More information is available at MajorLeagueBus.com.